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Texas Rangers: What’s The Expectation?

By Ben Davila

Oct 4, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; The Texas Rangers celebrate their win over the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Texas Rangers defeat the Angels 9-2 and clinch the American League West division. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; The Texas Rangers celebrate their win over the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Texas Rangers defeat the Angels 9-2 and clinch the American League West division. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Texas Rangers swept St. Louis and clinched a ninth consecutive series win. As a bona fide contender, it begs the question: What’s the expectation?

The Texas Rangers are currently making short work of Major League Baseball. Record wise, they’re the second best team in the league. They’re winning with great pitching and timely hitting. It’s been said that no style points are rewarded for wins. While that is most certainly true, it’s a bit of a shame, given the panache the Rangers have been playing with lately.

Their recent performance evokes ghosts of championship contenders past. As a matter of fact, the eyeball test suggests they may be even better than the 2011 bunch that came so tantalizingly close to bringing a World Series championship to the DFW Metroplex.

With that in mind, it’s natural to ask what the expectation is moving forward. Barring a catastrophic string of injuries or a precipitous fall from the top of the American League standings, it’s probably safe to wager that the Texas Rangers are poised to build on last year’s unlikely run to the the American League West title.

So let’s go ahead and put the proverbial cart in front of the horse. Let us look forward to the cool October air and envision a time when the stifling June heat doesn’t hinder your good judgment. Daydream a little. You might like what you see.

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How about we start with a potential playoff rotation that includes the likes of Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels, Colby Lewis, and Derek Holland? While Lewis and Holland are holdovers from the 2011 regime, the prospect of having Darvish and Hamels in the top two slots seems orders of magnitude better than CJ Wilson and Matt Harrison.

Secondly, take a look at the 2011 batting lineup going into Game 1 of the World Series. Yes, it’s littered with names like Ian Kinsler, Josh Hamilton, and Nelson Cruz, but Michael Young at the cleanup spot was a reach, to put it kindly. Statistically speaking, Young had a tremendous regular season, but he was never the prototypical number four hitter pn anyone’s roster.

This year’s team features future Hall of Fame third baseman Adrian Beltre (who hit fifth in the 2011 lineup) in the cleanup spot. Even at his advanced age, Beltre still puts fear in opposing managers. His skills at third base are beyond reproach, and despite a drop off in recent years at the plate, he’s not someone who can be taken lightly on any at-bat.

Thirdly, here’s where the 2016 Texas Rangers differ from the last great hope of 2011: “edge”. By “edge”, I mean something beyond grit or toughness. 2011’s team had plenty of both. What separates this year’s bunch is a certain meanness. As evidenced by “The Punch“, the 2016 Rangers feature a pronounced sense of danger that no one else can boast.

Next: Should Dallas Rebuild or Reload?

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Does this “edge” mean anything right now? Absolutely. Save for the drama versus the paper champion Blue Jays, this team goes about their business with little fanfare. They let the results do the talking. They’re pitching, defending, and hitting their way to maybe the best team in Texas Rangers’ history. Enjoy it, for this might end in something special.

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